I am the Executive Member responsible for Planning and Environmental Health. This covers Development Control, Building Control, Planning Policy, Environmental Health and Town Centre Management. See the pages on the left for more information regarding these different functions.
The following are some recent news items relating to these activities:
Planning
East of England Plan
Two legal challenges have been made to the East of England Plan, one from Hertfordshire County Council and the other from St. Albans Council. The legal opinion did not give sufficient grounds for Welwyn Hatfield Council to raise a challenge, particularly in view of the potential costs this might involve, but the County Council has a wider role as a Section 4.4 Authority. St. Albans Council sought a separate legal opinion and has made its own separate challenge.
Work has now commenced on the review of the Regional Spatial Strategy (also known as the East of England Plan), and consultation on options are planned to take place next year. At a briefing I attended on 19 June, we were that the Government wants a 20-year lead time for the roll forward to 2031, which would necessitate the process being complete by 2011. This would mean that the preferred options would need to be submitted to the Secretary of State by 2009; given the amount of consultation that will need to be carried out, I cannot see how this can be achieved. EERA has indicated that it will wish to test the capacity of the Key Centres (of which Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield is one) to accommodate further growth up to 2031 and beyond, or whether there are other options such as new settlements. The Review will also focus on a number of other issues, such as the quality of development, jobs, renewable energy targets and policies for hazardous waste.
As part of the early evidence gathering for the East of England Plan Review, EERA is seeking to identify new proposals for smaller-scale sustainable communities and urban extensions which could contribute to the region’s development needs up to 2031. It is therefore inviting development proposals from developers and others.
Gypsies and Travellers - Regional Spatial Strategy Single Issue Review: Planning for Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation in the East of England
At a meeting of the Cabinet Planning & Transportation Panel on 20 March 2008, I made the following statement:
"The Council considers that there is already adequate provision within Welwyn Hatfield.
Any accommodation need there might be in Welwyn Hatfield would principally result from the Holwell site which is located on the edge of our borough close to the boundary with East Herts. The Scott Wilson report could only identify one site in Welwyn Hatfield which is located in the Green Belt whilst in neighbouring East Herts six sites all outside the Green Belt were identified.
In distributing the number of pitches across the region the RSS Single Issue Review has failed to take account of the technical evidence produced by ORS and Scott Wilson for Northern and Eastern Hertfordshire. Its distribution has resulted in Welwyn Hatfield, the authority with the least potential, being allocated one of the largest requirements within this part of Hertfordshire.
The overall figures for Northern and Eastern Hertfordshire far exceeds the level of need assessed by the ORS study, and should be reduced to that which meets the needs of the area. Within Northern and Eastern Hertfordshire the distribution across the five authorities should then take account of the constraints imposed by the Green Belt with Welwyn Hatfield's needs being met by East Hertfordshire."
Welwyn Hatfield Council has been invited to appear at the Examination in Public, that will be held from 21 to 24 October in Letchworth. The Panel anticipates that it will produce its report by Christmas. This is about the amount of provision, not where it might go.
Changes to Planning Rules
Sometimes planning permission is not required to carry out some alterations to homes and this is often known as "permitted development". The Government has recently published new rules which allow householders to build (in some cases) larger extensions without planning permission. This new legislation is a fundamental shift away from the old legislation which was based on a volume approach. The new legislation is based on an impact or depth approach.
The new rules will now allow both loft conversions and rear extensions to be built without planning permission. Non-overbearing loft conversions will enjoy automatic permission. Rear extensions will no longer have a cap on volume, just depth and height based on distance from the boundary.
In a related development, the Government has also published the new planning regulations designed to reduce flood risks caused by surface water run-offs. Under these changes new driveways or parking areas over five square metres will not need planning permission provided they are constructed using surfaces which allow the water to soak through to the ground. Proposed driveways of more than five square metres using traditional, impermeable surfaces will now require planning permission.
The new legislation comes into place on 1 October. The Planning Portal has further details of the specific conditions and limits provided for by the Order. This is available at www.planningportal.gov.uk. It’s envisaged that that the Portal’s guidance will provide the initial reference point for householders wanting to know what they can do to their own homes without applying for planning permission.
Fast Track Householder Appeal Pilot Scheme
The Planning Inspectorate launched a Fast Track Householder Appeal Pilot earlier this year. The aim of the Scheme is to dramatically shorten the length of time it will take an applicant to receive a decision on any Householder Appeal against the refusal of planning permission (for works to their homes such as porches, extensions or conservatories).
For the appellant a number of changes have been made. These aim to make the whole process easier to understand, to take part in and ultimately to allow the householder to receive a decision much more quickly than at present. At the moment it can take around 20 weeks to receive a decision from the day the Appeal is received by the Planning Inspectorate. With a number of key changes to the way the Planning Inspectorate and the Council administer the process, and the way the applicant takes part, the Fast Track Pilot Scheme aims to decide "Household" appeals in 12 weeks. This is a reduction of around 2 months.
The pilot scheme is being trialled in a number of authorities. Our Development Control team is currently working on updating their internal processes, IT and systems in preparation for joining the Scheme. The aim is to start the Scheme for householder appeals submitted to the Planning Inspectorate after 1 October 2008. In the meantime, householders who are refused planning permission during September will receive a flyer about the new Scheme.
Garden City Settlements and their Future
Discussions are being held with the Town and Country Planning Association for Welwyn Garden City to be the launch venue for a new national policy document on the future of garden cities. It is hoped that the launch will take place at the end of October.
Welwyn Garden City Estate Management Scheme Review
The consultation responses to the scheme policies have been reviewed and were considered by Cabinet Planning and Transportation Panel on 18 September.
Overall, residents supported the preservation of the town’s unique character and appearance, and many supported the existence of the scheme and the reasons why the scheme was imposed. In addition, residents acknowledged that there are wider issues which have affected the character of the town, such as rising car ownership, the increased demand for extensions and alterations to existing dwellings amongst other social and economic changes, since the scheme was envisaged and introduced. A number of issues were raised, such as enforcement and lack of awareness. The Cabinet Panel recommended to Cabinet a number of proposals to address the points raised in the consultation.
Hatfield Town Centre Retail Frontage Planning Policies
Cabinet Planning and Transportation Panel has agreed to recommend to Cabinet an approach where the normal attitude to considering proposals for changes of use can take into account the current economic circumstances. This would result in greater flexibility when considering applications for non-retail uses both within and outside the redevelopment area. This will however need to be closely monitored to ensure that there is no long-term harm to the town centre’s role as a shopping centre.
Environmental Health
Construction Site Noise
EH received a noise complaint in relation to the Demolition works being undertaken off Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City. The complaint related to noise disturbance starting at 6am including Sundays. EH served a notice under the Control of Pollution Act 1974, S.60, imposing a number of requirements to control noise disturbance.
The notice imposed that all works and ancillary operations which were audible at the site boundary should only be carried out between the hours of:
8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays, and between the hours of
8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays or bank holidays.
The notice to date has been complied with and EH has received no further calls regarding these works.
Numerous complaints were received about high pitched tonal noise being emitted from the Waitrose development site. EH visited the site and established the noise was being emitted from a brick cutter. The machine was immediately withdrawn from use at EH request and work is underway to ensure it can continue to be used without causing further disturbance.
Food Safety Week - June 2008
Environmental Health attended the “GO Show” (Green Organic Show) giving away 100 fridge thermometers and promoting a national campaign supported by the Food Standards Agency. They took out "killer chef "(a life-sized human skeleton) and dressed him up as the barbeque chef which was a great if somewhat gruesome hit with the children!
Additional activities included:
- Computer Co. promoted food safety and smoke free at their staff fair - it is hoped it will lead to a longer term partnership.
- Onslow School took their key Stage 4 students through the Food Safety Teaching Environmental Health staff devised with over 80 students taking part in the programme. This is the third year this has taken place.
- Environmental Health has offered hand-wash machines to every local primary school in the borough. These UV light machines can be used with an indicator cream to demonstrate to children how well they wash their hands. Four schools have used it so far and have been delighted with the results.
- A Food Safety training course was held for parents from Oak Tree Children's Centre with funding provided through the Local Learning Partnership - further work is being done with the partnership to try and secure further funding for community projects.
- The Environmental Heath higher level Food Safety Course level 3 was held in late May. All 8 students passed with 3 Merit passes ( over 80%)
Health and Safety
Environmental Health has agreed to participate in a health and safety initiative with the Health and Safety Executive. This will involve joint inspections with HSE inspectors in one or more selected areas. The teams will inspect both HSE and local authority enforced premises.
Licensing
An Alcohol POP (Problem Orientated Partnership) has been set up to co-ordinate between Community Safety Partnership members the work that is currently taking place/being considered around alcohol, and to formalise a process that will be reflected in a local strategy. The overall aim is to reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder in Welwyn Hatfield, with particular attention to young people.
Town Centres
Plans are currently being finalised for FREE half-term activities in both Welwyn Garden City and Hatfield. As Halloween falls on the Friday of half-term, all activities have been Halloween themed. Both town centres will have a "Halloween Hunt" running all week. Children need to find all the pumpkins hidden around the town centre to be entered into the prize draw.
WGC will also have a face painter on the Thursday and Friday, a spooky street entertainer and balloon modeller on the Thursday and spooky craft workshops inside the Howard Centre on the Friday. The finale will be on the Friday with a Halloween fancy dress competition.
In Hatfield there will be an Environmental Fun day on Wednesday 29 October. The event is built on the usual Green Organic show concept, with stalls from environmental agencies and council departments offering information and advice on energy saving ideas, but they will also have games and competitions for the children to take part in. There will be a children's entertainer, balloon modeller and face painter on the day. There will be lots of freebies to be given away and prizes to be won. It is hoped that we will be able to give away some pumpkins as there's going to be a pumpkin competition. Pumpkins are to be brought along to the Farmers Market on the Saturday 1 November for judging and again great prizes can be won.
On Friday, 31 October, there will be a themed arts and crafts company making hats and masks and decorating biscuits. Again the children's entertainer will be walking about the town centre.
A competition for designing a Christmas light decoration has been run in Hatfield and the winner will be chosen next week. The winner will have their design produced and it will be placed on White Lion House over the Christmas period. A carol evening is being planned for the centre and the light will be lit that evening.